Political earthquake in Britain - Farage "takes down" Starmer: Labour preparing his removal

Senior officials in the governing Labour Party are seriously considering the removal of Prime Minister Keir Starmer from the leadership.
According to sources from the seat of government, 10 Downing Street, cited by the British newspaper Guardian, the Prime Minister's staff has already launched an "urgently active operation" to protect the leadership in anticipation of a potential "internal removal." There are signs of "backstage maneuvers" emerging within the party, where groups from the centre-left and moderate spectrum of Labour are considering a change in leadership.

The confrontation at the heart of the government

The focus of interest is on the confrontation between Starmer, his chief of staff at No 10, Morgan McSweeney, and Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
McSweeney is being accused by ministers and MPs of mishandling the whole affair, and is blamed for the leaking of information suggesting that Streeting was planning a leadership challenge. Many officials even demanded his removal. The Prime Minister has so far stated that he will not fire him, while Starmer's inner circle is deeply worried about the expansion of the challenge and the backstage maneuvers to replace him, and they are trying to highlight the serious dangers of a leadership challenge.
Beyond Streeting, however, the names being discussed by Labour MPs as potential replacements for Starmer include some of his closest collaborators in the cabinet. Apart from Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, the ambitions of Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and backbench MPs such as former Transport Minister Louise Haigh are also being discussed.

What are the sources of the crisis

The reasons for this seemingly deep crisis that is being attempted to avert are:

• Negative polls for Labour and Starmer and the simultaneous surge of Nigel Farage's Reform UK party.

• The party's disappointing performance on issues such as the economy and immigration, with many voters expressing dissatisfaction with the standard of living of the British, which has collapsed, and taxation.

• The impending announcement of the budget or the local elections, which are considered critical indicators of the government's popularity.

• The need for a clear political direction and communication - choices that, according to the Guardian, Starmer has so far failed to convincingly articulate.

How an internal party challenge can proceed

Labour Party rules state that for a leadership change process to be activated, 20% of the party's MPs must declare support for a new candidate.
Starmer's allies warn that "a challenge now would be reckless and dangerous," given the consequences for political stability, market confidence, and international relations, as such a mobilization just 18 months after taking power could cause major political instability, market turmoil, and government destabilization.

The reaction from Starmer's staff

The Prime Minister's office states that he will defend his position against any attempt to challenge the leadership. Wes Streeting's ambition is viewed with particular suspicion by some loyal to the Prime Minister.
Streeting denies planning a coup against Starmer. He also alleges that a toxic culture prevails in government circles, especially concerning the briefings reportedly being made from 10 Downing Street.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Streeting described the rumors that he would challenge Starmer as "self-destructive nonsense" and stated that he does not intend to stand against the Prime Minister. When asked if he would ever consider making such a move, he replied, "I do not see any situation under which I would do that to our prime minister." Streeting added that the Prime Minister should fire the staff member responsible for the leaks, which he characterized as "the worst attack on a loyalist since Joe Marler was banished in the final episode of The Traitors." He added that there is a "toxic culture" in Downing Street that needs to change.

What this means for Labour

In its commentary, the Guardian notes that the internal party "anxiety" among MPs is beyond evident. The dispute and the risk of a "civil war" emerging within the party threaten to weaken both government stability and public confidence.
The scenario of a leadership change is difficult, however, as the current party and House of Commons procedures require significant support. If an internal party challenge and removal were to take place, this would be a historic event: no Prime Minister from the party has ever been overthrown so soon after taking office. The publicity of the issue - and the internal strife brought to light by the Guardian - is likely to further weaken the leadership's image, strengthen centrifugal tendencies within the party, and increase the possibility that the challenge will come at a later stage (e.g., after the 2026 local elections).

The poll defeat

Days ago, the results of a new poll were published that highlight Nigel Farage as the most suitable to manage and save the British economy. The leader of Reform UK is also considered the most radical politician, while 33% of voters trust him more to take charge of the economy - surpassing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who gathered only 31%.
Nigel Farage has made a series of economic interventions in recent weeks, proposing increased public spending, as well as the restart of coal mines and steel mills for the production of new steel. The Labour Party accused him of "fantasy economics," while Reeves is expected to refer to the same issue in the House.
Promoting an investment of 14 billion pounds in nuclear energy, Starmer told GB News: "I want to go forward, not back. And Nigel Farage is going backward."

Essentially, Labour is tied with the Conservatives and Reform. The research was conducted on behalf of Lawrence Newport, a former academic and head of two campaigns — Looking for Growth (pro-economic growth) and Crushing Crime (against crime). Newport had received death threats in 2023 when he led a campaign to ban dangerous XL Bully dogs, which ultimately led to a change in legislation.
The poll examined not only who the public trusts most, but also which party has the most radical economic plan. Reform UK recorded 54%, compared to only 20% for Labour. Keir Starmer had hoped to present his premiership as responsible and based on difficult but necessary economic decisions, in contrast to the chaos of recent Conservative prime ministers. However, despite spending enormous political capital to demonstrate fiscal discipline — especially by reversing the cut to heating allowances — neither he nor his Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves managed to convince that Labour is more reliable in managing the economy.

Furthermore, it was investigated whether citizens feel personally better or worse after the Covid-19 pandemic:

• 42% stated that they feel worse,

• 33% that they are in a better situation,

• and 24% that they have seen no difference.

Conservative voters appeared more optimistic (41% stated they are better off), Labour even more (52%), while Reform supporters were the most disappointed (52% stated worse). Later today, Sunday 9/11, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves is expected to emphasize the image of stability she seeks to project, admitting, however, that "many citizens have not yet felt the improvement the government is aiming for."

www.bankingnews.gr